Classical Mythology: with The Odyssey of Homer (Paperback)

~ Homer (Author), (Author), (Author), Walter Shewring (Translator), G. S. Kirk (Introduction) "The impossibility of establishing a satisfactory definition of myth has not deterred scholars from developing comprehensive theories on the meaning and interpretation of myth, often..." (more)
Key Phrases: renowned lame god, perfect hecatombs, mighty slayer, New York, Oxford University Press, Homeric Hymn (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A fine introduction to the subject, clear, concise, and intelligently organized. Classical Mythology is easier to use than ever; in my opinion, it has no serious competition in the field."--Ralph Doty, University of Oklahoma

"A usefully thorough and delightfully well thought-out and compendious guide to the subject. Excellent selections."--Rachel Hadas, Rutgers University-Newark --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Description

Morford and Lenardon's best-selling introduction to classical mythology is a comprehensive survey focusing on the literary tradition of Greek and Roman mythology. It offers extensive translations of original mythological sources as well as comparative and interpretive approaches to the myths. In this package, Classical Mythology, 6/e is bundled with the Oxford World's Classic The Odyssey. The first English prose translation of Homer's The Odyssey to appear in over thirty years, Shewring's translation comes as close to the spirit of the original Greek as our language will allow.

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Product Details

• Paperback
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 6 edition (January 24, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195218795
• ISBN-13: 978-0195218794
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #7,834,282 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent resource, July 11, 2002

By	Charlie Bergen (Tennessee) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Classical Mythology (Paperback)

I have quite a bit of experience in the study of Classical civilization, and I have yet to find a better source for information on Greek and Roman mythology. I think this book is a necessity for anyone wishing to learn more about ancient religion or to anyone who needs a reliable reference for this subject.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to the topic, July 7, 2002

By	Glenn McDorman (Denver) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Classical Mythology (Paperback)

Everyone should own a copy of this book. It is the best sophisitcated introduction to classical mythology that is out there, and is filled with useful illustrations.

50 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Ridiculously expensive. , January 8, 2005

By	Timothy Doran (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Classical Mythology (Paperback)

This is not a bad book. It is a standard, fairly decent introduction to mythology that's a heck of a lot better than Edith Hamilton. The reason why I give it one star is the price. It is not worth more than 45 dollars. Very few books are, and the ones that are, have hard covers. This is a disgraceful ripoff and there is absolutely no excuse for it. Morford, Leonardson, and especially the PUBLISHER should be ashamed. Yes, the book is well-done, with pretty pictures, but it's SOFTCOVER. It's worth perhaps twenty dollars, maybe thirty at most. It is a very typical example of the utter sliminess of the textbook shell game. Years ago, it once had a reasonable price. Then, when the publisher realized that it was being assigned as a textbook, they raised the price to a ridiculous level, and produced - and continue to produce - more editions so that any old edition you get will be slightly off pagewise. A minor rearranging of contents occurs to justify dupes buying the new edition thus to make the old editions worthless. Take a stand. Do not buy this book. Professors, do not assign it. If your professor assigns it, request that you may use an old version which you will be able to find for five dollars online. The changes in the book are NOT essential enough to justify this gross piracy.
By the way -- I'm a graduate student studying Greek and Roman history, religion, and literature at Berkeley. I believe I am fairly qualified, then, to make this argument. The price of this book is a disgusting shame and should not be tolerated.